Adsorbent bed coating on metals and processing for making the same

Abstract

Adsorbent bed coating for use on a metallic surface includes a powder-like solid adsorbent bed with a grain diameter between 1 and 50 μm bonded by a finely dispersed binder agent with a mass component of less than 50% with respect to the powder component. The thickness of the adsorbent bed coating on the metallic surface is less than 4 mm such that the adsorption speed of water vapor at a steam pressure of less than 20 mbar results in a weight increase of at least 5% (with respect to the adsorbent bed) within 30 minutes.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for providing an adsorbent bed coating on a heat exchanger comprising the following steps in the sequence set forth: a) applying a first coating of flowable emulsion including a binder agent, water and a solid adsorbent material to a surface of the heat exchange, the application of the flowable emulsion having a thickness of no more than 1 mm,   b) drying the flowable emulsion that was applied to the heat exchanger in open air at approximately room temperature; and   c) drying the flowable emulsion at air temperatures of over 150° C. to provide a first adsorbent bed coating layer.   
     
     
       2. The method for providing an adsorbent bed coating on a heat exchanger as defined in claim 1, further comprising the following additional steps in the sequence set forth: a) subsequent to said step of drying said emulsion at air temperatures of over 150° C. wetting the heat exchanger including the first adsorbent bed coating layer;   b) drying the first adsorbent bed coating layer of the heat exchanger in open air such that a dull surface is visible;   c) applying a second coating of flowable emulsion to the surface of the first adsorbent bed coating layer, the second coating of flowable emulsion having a thickness of at most 1 mm;   d) drying said second coating of flowable emulsion in open air at approximately room temperature; and   e) drying and hardening said second coating of flowable emulsion at air temperatures above 150° C. to provide a second adsorbent coating layer.